


It all started with Skittles

by pookiestheone



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-27 06:44:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12576008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pookiestheone/pseuds/pookiestheone
Summary: Dipping my toe into the Riverdale fandom.  Just a short piece.  Hard to say if I'll take it anywhere else





	1. Skittles

**Author's Note:**

> Dipping my toe into the Riverdale fandom. Just a short piece. Hard to say if I'll take it anywhere else

“If you want to hang out or talk.” 

Moose’s parting words followed Kevin down the hospital hallway and danced around in his head as he waited for the elevator. He had Betty for all that so why would he need Moose.

The doors opened and he settled himself at the back of the elevator, slouching against the wall. Still he knew Moose was different. “Guys like us.” After their ill-fated trip to Sweetwater River Kevin had tried his best to keep him at arm’s length, fending off his eventually decreasing attempts to start anything. He really wasn’t interested in getting involved with someone in the closet; life was too damn short.

He almost laughed out loud as he reached the main floor. _Yeah, the woods are so much better._ The woods were about quick, anonymous sex; no hanging out, little if any talking. _Wham, bam, thank you man. Pull up my pants and off home or maybe go on the hunt for someone else. Yeah, much better._

“… or maybe just for two minutes, we’re not alone.”

 _Is he going to haunt me for the rest of the day?_ It was true though, Betty aside, he felt alone. He had other friends like Veronica and Archie and maybe Jughead, but in the end it wasn’t about friendship. Beyond the sex, the woods brought him an intimacy that he hadn’t found anywhere else, at least not since Joaquin left. And Moose was right, for a few moments the feeling of isolation became bearable.

As he began his walk home he realised Moose had picked up on the one thing that no one else seemed to have. From what Moose had said he knew he felt the same. No two people experience loneliness in the same way, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t sense the loneliness in others. He decided that he would go back to visit him tomorrow. _I’ll have to buy some Skittles. They’re detestable little things, but for some reason he likes them._


	2. Parts of me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I do have more to this story. The problem is that there's no real plan other than I now know where I would like this to go. So lord knows if I'll ever get there.

The door to Moose’s room was open so Kevin walked in, stopping at the foot of the bed. He was sleeping, but his forehead was wrinkled like he was trying to remember something. And he was still pale; maybe a bit more colour than yesterday, but not back to normal yet. As he moved in his sleep he groaned quietly.

_Damn, he was lucky._

_____

At first all Kevin could see was the blood that soaked Moose’s shirt. When he recovered from the initial shock he searched for the pulse in his neck to make sure he has still alive, wishing he could do more. All the while he tried to calm the hysterical Midge, saying everything would be fine; even though he didn’t think it would be. When Moose’s eyes fluttered open he breathed a sigh of relief, but he saw the fear behind them.

“Just lie there. The ambulance is on the way.”

“He shot me.” 

“You’re going to be OK.”

“Promise?”

He closed his eyes again.  
_____

_I should leave him alone_. He pulled the Skittles out of his backpack and set them on the table beside the bed. As he turned to go Moose mumbled, “You came. Where are you going?”

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Not a problem now. I seem to do nothing but sleep and when I wake up I’m bored then I’m tired again.” He shifted, groaned and tried to move up higher on the pillow.

“Here, let me.” Kevin pulled him forward a little and slid the pillow down.

“That’s better. Thanks.”

Kevin pulled the chair closer to the bed. “How are you?”

“Well, I was shot you know.”

“Yes, smart ass. Don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget that.”

“You and me both.”

Moose’s half-smile told Kevin that he was definitely on the way to recovery.

“I brought you something,” he nodded toward the Skittles.

“Yes! They had me on this liquid shit like soup and yogurt until yesterday. I don’t know why. Nothing wrong with my stomach. Finally got a decent breakfast and lunch today though.”

“Precautions I guess.”

“Give me a few of those will you.”

Kevin reached over and took the bag from the table, pulled it open, then stopped.

“It’s OK, right? I mean you can have them?”

“Aw, listen to mother Kevin.”

“Shut up.”

“Yes it’s OK. I’m not going to eat the whole bag.”

“Damn right you’re not.” Kevin poured some into Moose’s outstretched hand and watched as he tossed them into his mouth. He toyed with the open bag as he leant back in the chair.

“Really? All at once?”

“Sure,” he answered between crunches, “can’t taste the whole rainbow if you only have one or two.”

Kevin looked down at the bag then back at Moose.

“Remember what you said yesterday.”

“Mmhm.” Moose held out his hand, motioning toward the bag, and Kevin gave him three. He wrinkled his nose and glared before eating them. “Talk about a half-assed rainbow. Yes, I remember.”

“So that means you feel alone too.”

“What do you think, Kevin. I like girls, I like guys. In Riverdale. Sort of got a foot in each world right now, but I don’t really feel at home in either because I’m always hiding a part of me. And that makes for problems. Sex with Midge is great, but you’re not the only one who’s been in those woods.”

Moose laughed at the expression on Kevin’s face.

“Don’t look so shocked. Where did you think I met guys? Put an ad in The Register. Can you imagine what Alice Cooper would do with that?” He paused. “It took guts you know.”

“What? Going to the woods?” 

“No. Coming on to you at the dance.”

“You could have fooled me. Never been both propositioned and intentionally flashed in the high school washroom before.”

“Yeah, well I may not be subtle, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.” He grunted as he reached for his glass to get some water; he took a sip and settled back. “We might have had a good time.”

“Is that all it’s about, Moose? Sex and a good time.”

“Something wrong with either of those?”

“No, but …”

“No,” Moose interrupted, “but it should be about more. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think I know that. Parts of me hidden, parts of me missing, parts of me in pieces; that’s why I’m alone. It’s like a fucking jigsaw puzzle where I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to put it all together.” He sighed. “I want …”

“What?”

“I want someone to help. It’s not my parents, it’s not some counsellor, it’s not Midge. God, it’s definitely not Midge; she would never understand.”

“So it’s me then.”

“Maybe. I know we’re not the same, but I think you understand most of it, more than anyone else I know would. Things have changed since that night at Sweetwater River too. And these,” he pointed at his chest where the bullets had hit him, “these were the final straw. Then again maybe you just don’t want the worry or the responsibility; to be honest I get that. After all you have your own problems.”

He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. 

“I’m kind of tired again. Would you go?” 

Kevin pushed back his chair and stood up.

“Hold out your hand.” He dropped a few more Skittles into his palm. “I’m taking the rest, but I’ll bring them tomorrow.”

“You’ll come back?”

Kevin rested his hand on Moose’s shoulder.

“Of course.” He held up the bag of Skittles. “Who else is going to eat these things?”

“Who’s a smart ass now, Keller. Seriously though, thanks for being here. And I’m sorry.”

Kevin turned at the door. “Why?

“Looks like I did all the talking.”

“I’ll get my chance. And to answer your question, a burden shared is a burden halved. It will be a two-way street, you know.”


	3. Marshmallow Centre

The next day Midge was coming out of the hospital as Kevin arrived.

“How is he?”

“The best I’ve seen him. A big change even since yesterday. They had him up walking around a lot more today and he complained so much when they tried to get him back into bed that he’s sitting in a big chair they brought in.”

“Getting back to his old self then.”

“He says he still feels some pain, but he’s not shuffling along like an old man now. If he keeps this up he could be discharged by the weekend; he’ll just have to take it easy at home until the doctor says he can go back to school.” She reached over to touch Kevin’s arm. “He said you’ve been here a couple of times this week, thanks”

He reached into his backpack and pulled out the bag. “I have his Skittles.” 

“Him and those damn Skittles. I should have known he would talk someone into getting them. I’m glad he’s got friends like you to help keep him company.”

The Skittles thing wasn’t really a lie Kevin reasoned as he made his way to Moose’s room and they were friends although not as close as Midge seemed to think. Moose was a jock and while Kevin liked sports and played a few for fun no one would ever consider him to be a jock. They didn’t exactly travel in different circles at school, but until now most of their contact had been in class. He didn’t think the school bathroom and Sweetwater River really counted.

From the doorway he could see Moose sitting in a chair near the window, head tilted back, eyes closed. There was an abandoned book open on his lap.

“Hey, Skittle boy, rise and shine.”

Moose smiled broadly and turned his head to look at him.

“I’m awake. Figured you would be here soon. And speaking of Skittles, I didn’t get any yesterday.”

Kevin pulled up a chair to face him. “I guess we forgot.” He pulled out the bag and handed it to him.

“Yeah, more important things.”

“Can’t say very long today. I saw Midge downstairs though and she said you might be going home soon.” 

“I hope so. I’m going a bit stir crazy. There’s only so much sleeping and daytime TV I can take. At least at home I have my laptop and I can go outside if the weather’s good.”

Kevin reached over and took the book off his lap.

“Shakespeare? Oh right, for English.”

“I can’t get too far behind or I’ll fail. Although to be honest I really have a tough time with Shakespeare. In class it gets explained, now it’s mostly just words that I’m struggling to make sense of.”

“I’ll keep you up to date with copies of my notes.”

“Great. I can mostly manage with Math and Science, but not this. My mom has gone to the school to work something out as well. Tutoring maybe if I get into difficulty.”

Moose handed the Skittles bag back to Kevin and sat for a moment, crunching the ones he had taken as he looked out the window.

“You’re not going to find what you’re really looking for in the woods. You know that, right.”

The comment seemed to come out of nowhere and it took Kevin a moment to catch up. It was obvious Moose had been thinking about this.

“Never expected to. I already had this out with Betty, but she was more concerned about my safety and how I wasn’t respecting myself. I’ll give her the point about safety, but that’s all.” 

He leant back in the chair and stretched out his legs.

“It all comes down to the fact that I’m just tired of everyone but me having someone. Betty and Jughead. Veronica and Archie.” He deliberately didn’t mention him and Midge although he was sure it went through Moose’s mind. “Everybody’s paired off. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t resent what they have; I resent that I don’t have it too.

“I just can’t find anyone; not that there seem to be many to choose from. To be honest I haven’t met anyone in school who is gay. How fucked up is that. I can’t be the only one. It just gets so frustrating, at times I lose patience, more so recently.

“I go to dances by myself and I dance with girls. I end up at Pops as the fifth wheel or I’m with, once again, one of the girls. Going on a date is for everyone else. My date is watching some old film on TV with a bowl of popcorn. Or me and my hand in front of the computer flipping through porn. The woods are better than nothing.”

He suddenly laughed.

“Wow! I’m not entirely sure where all that came from. Never put it into words like that before. Somehow it seemed easy.”

“I’m sorry.” Moose hesitatingly reached over and patted his knee, then sat back. It was a warm gesture unlike anything Kevin would have expected from him.

“”I don’t want someone to pity me; I can do that all by myself.”

“I don’t pity you. I’m sorry you hurt. I’m sorry you haven’t been able to talk about it before now.”

Kevin shook his head.

“You’re an odd one, Moose Mason. Hulking football jock hoisting beer kegs on your shoulders but with a lot more compassion than people would believe.”

“Yep. Hard outside, marshmallow centre, that’s me,” he joked.

“That’s a good thing, don’t knock it.” He stood. “I have to go, sorry.” Moose started to get out of his chair. “No, don’t bother.”

“I need to move around. Don’t coddle me; I get enough of that from Midge and my mom.”

He took his arm and helped him up.

“I can easily manage as far as the door. Be running sprints before you know it.”

Over the short distance Kevin noticed he was walking normally if a bit slowly. They stopped before they reached the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow and we can go over those notes. Do you want me to bring anything else?”

Suddenly he was in one of the tightest hugs he had ever felt; instinctively his arms wrapped around Moose’s back. They held on for a few seconds, not moving, before Moose let go and stepped away, leaving Kevin suddenly dismayed by the emptiness he left.

“I figured you needed that.”


	4. Just another Saturday night

Kevin visited each day. The next one he brought the English notes and as they went over them it was like light came on for Moose and he got excited. The day after it was Science because they were in the same class. By the time Thursday rolled around Moose announced he was going home on Friday as expected.

“I’m out of here tomorrow,” he told Kevin.

“That’s good. Have to say you surprised me with how fast you came along.”

“I think before we talked I was worrying about too many things and not concentrating on getting better. That last straw effect brought so much crowding in on me, mostly what I’ve kept locked away from everyone but myself for so long. Not keeping it bottled up, talking it over with you definitely made the difference.”

“I’m glad,” Kevin said as he shoved the books and notes into his backpack.

“You’ll still come and visit me, right? We’ll still work together?”

“Try to keep me away. Although I …”

“What.”

“I prefer when we’re alone. I don’t need to be so guarded about what we say.”

“Already taken care of as long you can drop by around eight the nights you come. Just in case, I told Midge I’d like that time to work with you on English and Science. She understands and is fine with it. My parents won’t be a problem if we’re in my room. Although mom will want to feed us homemade cookies or something. We’ll figure out what nights are best for you.”

“I never turn down a homemade cookie or two,” Kevin patted his stomach, “even if there are times I probably should.” He slung his backpack over one shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow though?”

“Right.”  
______

They decided on three nights a week. Sometimes one of them would text asking if the other was free another night just to hang out. They fell into a pattern and kept it after Moose went back to school. They would even have lunch together a few times a week, although Midge was usually there too he sensed something was changing between them. Kevin liked working with him because, despite the jock stereotype, he was far from dumb. They had an relaxed friendship, somehow made easier because they had seen things about each other that no one else had. And that meant they kept talking, about anything and everything it seemed.

One night about four months after Moose got out of the hospital they were sitting around listening to some music after finishing up their homework. Kevin was sprawled out in a chair nibbling at the last cookie while Moose was lying on his back on the floor repeatedly tossing a football in the air and catching it.

“Hey, Kev, want to go to the movies Saturday? Maybe Pops afterwards?”

Not many people called him Kev and he liked it that way, but Moose had taken to using it almost right away and he didn’t mind in the least.

“With you and Midge? I don’t think so.”

“No, just with me.” The ball slid through his hands and bounced off his chest landing at Kevin’s feet. “Kick that over will you. Midge and I are on a break, have been for a few weeks.”

Kevin nudged the ball with his toe and it rolled within his reach.

“You finally did it? Why didn’t you say anything? You’ve been talking about it for a while. And how did she take it?”

“After the tantrum, not bad.” Moose laughed. “Just kidding. She wasn’t happy, but she said she understood. Don’t know how I managed it, but it didn’t seem that hard, like she wasn’t all that surprised.”

“The man with the silver tongue. So just you and me then?”

“Uh huh.”

“It’s not going to be a date though.”

“What, friends can’t go to the movies together now?”

“We were almost more than friends.”

“Almost is what matters.” He tossed the ball to one side and rolled over, propping himself up on one elbow so he could face Kevin. “If I wanted to ask you out on a date, I would. And you would say no,”

“Because I …”

“Because,” Moose interrupted, “you won’t date someone who’s in the closet. You want something with a future. I know, I know.”

“It’s not because you’re bisexual, you know that too, right?”

“Yes. It’s because I’m in the closet and I’m in a relationship. Kev’s cardinal rules.” He didn’t point out the inconsistency with what _almost_ happened at Sweetwater River, although technically that was a hookup not a date.

“So,” he grabbed the ball and rolled onto his back again, “movies Saturday? Yes or no.”

“Yes, you drive; I get the milkshakes at Pops.”

“Deal.”  
_____

When he came down the stairs Saturday night his father looked up from his paper.

“Where are you off to tonight?”

“It’s Saturday. Wild, uncharted places filled with amazing people.”

His father just gave him “that look”.

“Movies with Moose.”

“You see a lot of him lately.”

“Yeah, I like him.”

“Is he …”

“What? No, no. I would have told you if we were. _If things were different, maybe_. You already know we became friends while I visited him in the hospital.” He told his dad almost everything, but what had happened between them was partly Moose’s story and it wasn’t his to share.

“Well, enjoy yourself.”

As he sat on the top step of the porch waiting, he thought about how odd it was that a few months ago he had been so unhappy because he was alone, how he had been so desperate to find someone he was willing to settle for scraps, but that now it didn’t seem as urgent. He still wanted a boyfriend of course, but being friends Moose had for some reason made the wait easier.

He suspected that most of it was because of what they had learned from one another; each saw some of himself in the other’s loneliness, a loneliness that for their own reasons they hid from others, even those closest to them. Getting it out in the open had helped him deal with it; from what Moose had said earlier that week he knew he felt the same way. Being able to do that seemed to have taken away the dread he felt that unless he had a boyfriend right now he would always be alone, on the outside looking in.

Then again maybe it wasn’t as complex as all that, maybe all it took was making a connection with the right person at the right time. No matter what it was, all he knew was that he didn’t feel so alone anymore and that had made the difference. Maybe he held faint of hope for something else between them, but he had pushed that to the back of his mind as impossible.

Moose pulled up, music blaring from the open windows of the car. He climbed in and they drove off.

The movie was forgettable. Part way through Moose started whispering dirty, sarcastic comments at the most inappropriate times, sometimes making him laugh when the scene was supposed to be serious. The theatre was almost empty but he still got a shush from someone a few rows away.

“You’re a bastard, you know that,” he said as they walked to the car after it ended.

“Why? You can’t think anyone really liked that crap.”

“Tell that to the woman who glared at me as I passed her in the lobby.”

“No accounting for taste. Glad I wasn’t the one spoiling her enjoyment then.”

“Bastard,” he repeated as he shoved him with his shoulder.


	5. Friends

At Pops a couple of the football players waved them over, but Moose just shook his head and said later. Instead they found a table at the other end of the room. Kevin looked at him questioningly as they sat down.

“Aren’t you afraid they’ll start putting two and two together and come up with five?”

“Are you?”

Pretty well everyone knew he was gay; no one, at school anyway, knew Moose was bi. Or if they did, they knew better than to say anything - to anyone. Most people also knew that he and Moose had become friends, the reason helped along by Midge who had spread the word that Kevin had saved him; a bit of an exaggeration since he had called 911 which let others save him. So the math would likely come out to four - friends having a night out. Which was exactly what it was.

They decided to share some fries and get cokes rather than have milkshakes. When the food arrived, Kevin took a sip of his coke and grabbed a couple of fries. He smiled across the table at Moose who had somehow already managed to get ketchup on his chin. He motioned at his own chin.

“Wipe your face, Skittle boy.”

Considering that this was really just an ordinary evening, he was having a good time.

When they finished they joined the football players for a while. It wasn’t the first time Kevin had been around the jocks - he really needed to try to find another word - since becoming friends with Moose, but sometimes it still gave him a fish out of water feeling. That wasn’t to say they treated him any differently. He assumed that if Moose liked him it was good enough for them.

And he found, despite his initial expectations, it wasn’t just about sports and boobs. He once spent some time talking about, of all things, “To Kill A Mockingbird” with one of them as they ignored everyone else. Things like that didn’t happen all the time, but they happened just the same. 

Finally Moose stretched and yawned.

“Ready to go, Kev?”

“Yeah. See you guys later.”

On the drive home Moose had turned the music down so they could talk.

“You know that they like you, right.”

“Despite my being different?”

“You mean gay? Or not a football player?”

“Both I guess.”

“They like you for you. Different doesn’t really enter into it.”

“All of them?”

“Of course not, you dick. Do you like everyone you meet? Do you like all of them?”

“Well, no.”

Moose smiled at him.

“That was a dumb ass question then, wasn’t it.”

“Point taken.”

When they pulled up in front of Kevin’s house he reached for the door handle.

“That was fun. Glad you asked.”

“Me too.” Moose leant over, thinking to kiss him, then caught himself.

“What the hell, Moose. Were you going to kiss me? We said this wasn’t a date. And besides, you don’t kiss guys, remember.”

“Sorry. It’s just I always kiss Midge goodnight.”

“You kiss her in the car and then let her walk to the door by herself?”

“Sometimes,” he answered rather unconvincingly as far as Kevin was concerned.

“Right.”

“Give me a break, Kev. I made a mistake.”

“I’m sure you did.” He smirked and shook his head.

“Don’t do that. Don’t talk down to me like I’m a misbehaving child.”

“I’m not, I’m really not. It’s just the rules …”

“Fuck your rules!” He punched the dashboard so hard that he made Kevin jump. “I said I made a mistake. What do you want me to do? Beg for your forgiveness. I won’t do that. Not for just a silly god damn mistake.” By the time he finished his voice was shaking. Kevin reached over and grabbed his arm as he went to hit the dashboard again.

“OK, OK. Calm down before you hurt yourself.”

He let his arm drop and turned in surprise when Kevin picked up his hand and held it to the light from the streetlamp. The dashboard was hard and his knuckles were scraped and bleeding where they had skidded along it. Kevin didn’t let go when he lowered it back to the seat.

“Yes, they’re my rules, but that’s because I need them. I told you long ago you were my type, but I can’t go back to doing things in secret; it would be like being in the woods all over again, hiding in the dark like I’m ashamed when I’m not. And I don’t want to share my boyfriend with anyone. I don’t mean in a possessive, scary, I’ll chain him to the bed way, but I don’t think I should have to compete for his love or attention, wondering if someone else is more important.”

When Moose didn’t answer he tugged on his hand.

“You get what I mean, right?”

“Yes.” 

Kevin let go of his hand and opened the door. “Are we still going to be friends?”

“Of course. I won’t let a stupid mistake take that away if you won’t.”

“Good.”

Kevin shut the door behind him and walked down the sidewalk to his porch. _I don’t think this is over though._

Moose watched after him until he went inside, then bent his forehead to the steering wheel.

“Friends.” Moose had known for a while that he didn’t want to be just friends and that he didn’t want just sex, but like he always used to do he bottled it up rather than facing it. You would think he would have learned, but it was the one thing that he couldn’t bring himself to talk to Kev about because he had nothing new to offer - still in a relationship, still in the closet.

But that failed kiss was more than just a mistake; it was like a warning that he couldn’t keep the bottle sealed much longer. And that’s why he had been so angry. He had lost control and almost ruined everything. The rules told him what he should do about it, but instead, just before he caught himself, he had been ready to push those rules to find out how flexible they were. Kev’s reaction told him that they weren’t. Maybe if it had been something less obvious … But he knew instinctively that obvious or not wasn’t the problem, he was.

“Fucking friends.” He sat up straight, put the car in gear and headed for home.


	6. A change is gonna come

Kevin didn’t sleep much that night. About ten Sunday morning, after dozing on and off for a couple of hours, he got up, threw on some sweats and went downstairs to get something to eat.

“Well, well, look who finally decided to come out of his burrow.” His dad held up a mug. “Coffee? You look like you could use it.”

“Oh, yes please.” He put some bread in the toaster while his father poured.

“How was the movie?”

“Pretty bad, but it was a good night all the same.”

“You left your phone over there and it buzzed with a message earlier.”

He walked over, unlocked the phone and opened his messages. Just a simple one from Moose. _u ok_.

He quickly typed back. _fine u_

As he was buttering his toast it buzzed again.

_y see u mon_

They had no plans for today so it wasn’t like he was cancelling anything.

Still, as he ate, he continued to feel there would be more fallout from last night.  
_____

At school on Monday Moose seemed to be his usual self; Kevin thought he looked worried but when he asked he said he was just tired. They had lunch together but they didn’t talk about how Saturday had ended. A couple of people stopped by, but Midge was nowhere to be seen. In English he was more distracted though. Kevin caught him staring out the window a few times and he wasn’t the only one who noticed it.

“Mr. Mason, is there something out there more interesting than this class?” the teacher asked.

“Uh, no. I was just thinking. Sorry.”

“Let’s trying thinking about this passage instead shall we. Why don’t you read it for us.”

As they were changing classes Moose stopped him in the hallway.

“Meet me in the parking lot after school?”

“Sure.” _Uh oh_.

Just before three thirty Kevin found him in his car with the windows rolled down.

“Will you get in?" When it looked like Kevin was hesitating he went on. “Please, Kev, I want you to go for a drive with me.”

As he drove Moose didn’t say anything, but the constant drumming of his fingers’ on the steering wheel meant that something was going to happen. They passed Kevin’s house and just before they reached the edge of town he took a side road into Fox Forest. A couple of miles further down he pulled over, shutting off the engine.

“You recognise this place?”

The sight of Moose’s blood-covered shirt flashed into his mind.

“What do you think. Why would you come back here?”

He saw Moose’s knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly then he sighed and relaxed.

“Because this was the place so much changed; a watershed I guess. It’s like Saturday.”

Here it comes. “You’re saying that Saturday night was as bad as getting shot?”

“No, I’m saying it was a night when things changed again.”

“OK, do you want to take me home now or do I have to walk?” He was half way out the door when he was stopped dead in his tracks.

“I broke up with Midge for good.”

Kevin sank back into his seat.

“You broke up with Midge?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Why would you do something like that?”

“God, Kev, you can be so fucking dumb sometimes.”

“Oh. Oh! _Shit_. How did she take it?”

She cried a bit but it was like she saw it coming. She said things hadn’t been the same since I had been shot. Like I had drifted further and further away and wasn’t going to come back.”

“More perceptive than I gave her credit for. Don’t look at me like that. I saw it too, just not exactly where you were heading.”

“And you didn’t say anything?”

“That was your journey to take with her. I knew that we had reached a place where you wouldn’t hesitate to sound me out if you needed too, but when you said you were on a break I knew you weren’t going to have to. I never dreamed you were going beyond that though.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” He nodded quickly in agreement. “And then we talked; not all the details, but I know some of what I said hurt her. And she didn’t hold back telling me that. I’m not sure how many times I said I was sorry, but she eventually stopped me, told me to stop fucking apologising, and that she had no intention of letting this be the end of the world because she was better than that. Finally she asked me if there was someone else.”

“And?”

“I told her not yet, but maybe if that someone wanted me. She just said ‘Kevin’ and that you had better treat me right.”

“What, no ‘fucking man-stealing fag’?”

“That’s not Midge; she’d never be vindictive or cruel. Besides she knows no one can steal something that’s already gone.”

Kevin sat quietly. _It seems a bit too easy, too rose-coloured glasses. I wonder how she would feel if she were to see us together. Then there’s the teasing, “You lost your guy to another guy, poor you”. Although I suspect word of that would quickly get back to him and he would put a stop to it, politely or otherwise. And if he thinks the rest of this is going to be as easy… I’m getting ahead of myself._

Moose started to worry when he didn’t say anything.

“It’s a start, Kev. I know it’s not everything, but I need you with me for the rest or it’s all meaningless. Kev, answer me for God’s sake!”

Kevin reached over with both hands and pulled the unresisting Moose into a kiss. He felt more than heard him sigh as his tongue eased past his lips. When they separated Moose just grinned at him, knowing he had his answer.

~~~ end ~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is from the Sam Cooke R&B/Soul song of the same name released in 1964. The lyrics in part:
> 
> It's been a long, a long time coming  
> But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will.
> 
> Off topic, but there are other great interpretations of the song – Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Billy Preston, Otis Redding and more.


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